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Phillips, Cantu help Reds defeat Braves

Aug 22, 2007 - 3:36 AM CINCINNATI (Ticker) -- Brandon Phillips and newcomer Jorge Cantu helped the Cincinnati Reds put a damper on the Atlanta Braves' push toward the postseason.

Phillips homered, had three hits and drove in the go-ahead run in the sixth inning as the Reds defeated the Braves, 8-7, on Tuesday.

Cantu, who was making his first start in a Reds uniform, had two hits and three RBI, and the Cincinnati bullpen pitched 4 1/3 scoreless innings, to help give the Reds the victory in a back-and-forth game.

Cantu was obtained by the Reds in a trade for two Class AAA pitchers on July 28. Two years after hitting 28 home runs and 117 RBI, he was was sent to Class AA Durham by Tampa Bay on July 19 while battling a series of injuries.

"It feels really good to be part of this organization that is giving me a chance," Cantu said. "I don't have to prove anything to anybody in Tampa Bay. There are no hard feelings. I'm just starting over and it's time to move on."

Phillips broke the 7-7 tie in the bottom of the sixth when he lined Peter Moylan's one-out offering to right field, scoring Norris Hopper. It was the fourth multi-hit game in the last five for the Reds' second baseman.

"Baseball is a funny game. We fell behind and looked like we were out of it but we chipped away and battled our way back," Phillips said.

Brian McCann homered and drove in two runs for the Braves, who are in the midst of a crucial 10-game road trip against teams below the .500 mark.

Atlanta fell six games behind the division-leading New York Mets in the National League East, and remained one game back of the San Diego Padres and Philadelphia Phillies in the wild card standings.

A night after pounding Reds pitching, scoring 14 runs on 17 hits, the Braves jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the first two innings. Mark Teixeira hit an RBI single to left in the first and Yunel Escobar had a two-run double in the top of the second.

The Reds had swept the Braves in Atlanta in a three-game set in mid-July.

"It was pretty nice to come back after last night," Cincinnati interim manager Pete Mackanin said. "We felt they came in here to pay us back."

Cincinnati responded with five runs in the bottom of the third inning to take the lead. With two outs, rookie starter Jo-Jo Reyes walked Adam Dunn with the bases loaded and then gave up a two-run single to Edwin Encarnacion.

Oscar Villarreal entered in relief and surrendered a two-run double down the left field line to Cantu, giving the Reds a 5-3 advantage.

Atlanta countered with four runs of their own in the top of the fifth inning. Andruw Jones delivered a two-run double down the left field line and scored on McCann's 14th home run of the season, which gave the Braves a 7-5 lead.

The Reds answered right back to tie the game at 7-7 in the bottom of the fifth on Phillips' solo home run to right and Cantu's RBI single to left.

Cincinnati's much maligned bullpen pitched solidly, giving up only two hits, and Atlanta didn't threaten until the ninth when it had runners on first and second with two outs.

Reds closer David Weathers got Jeff Francouer to ground into a fielder's choice for his 26th save of the season.

Reyes was making just the sixth start of his career for the Braves after being called up from Class AAA Richmond earlier in the day.

The 22-year-old was taking the place of lefthander Chuck James, who was placed on the 15-day disabled with an inflamed shoulder, and lasted just 2 2/3 innings, giving up five runs on four hits and four walks.

"He walked the pitcher and he walked a few more. The stuff's there. The makeup is there," Braves manager Bobby Cox said. "He just gets off track and just misses. He just misses by a few inches."

Reds starter Bobby Livingston was just as ineffective, going just 4 2/3 innings and giving up a career-high six earned runs on 10 hits.

The Reds thought he pitched better than his numbers indicated.

"Bobby didn't pitch badly," Mackanin said. "He made three or four mistakes but he kept them off-balance for the most part. There is nothing to hang his head about."